Commodities Buzz: US Crude oil imports up 15.5% on year in last four weeks, says EIA

The US Energy Information Administration or EIA stated in a latest update that US crude oil refinery inputs averaged 16.6 million barrels per day during the week ending March 20, 2026, which was 366 thousand barrels per day more than the previous week’s average. Refineries operated at 92.9% of their operable capacity last week. Gasoline production increased last week, averaging 9.7 million barrels per day. Distillate fuel production increased by 158 thousand barrels per day last week, averaging 5.0 million barrels per day.

The US crude oil imports averaged 6.5 million barrels per day last week, decreasing by 730 thousand barrels per day from the previous week. Over the past four weeks, crude oil imports averaged about 6.6 million barrels per day, 15.5% more than the same four-week period last year. Total motor gasoline imports (including both finished gasoline and gasoline blending components) last week averaged 443 thousand barrels per day, and distillate fuel imports averaged 155 thousand barrels per day.

EIA noted that US commercial crude oil inventories (excluding those in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve) increased by 6.9 million barrels from the previous week. At 456.2 million barrels, US crude oil inventories are about 0.1% above the five-year average for this time of year. Total motor gasoline inventories decreased by 2.6 million barrels from last week and are 3% above the five-year average for this time of year. Both finished gasoline and blending components inventories decreased last week. Distillate fuel inventories increased by 3.0 million barrels last week and are about 0.4% below the five-year average for this time of year.

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